By Calvin Hill
First, we must eliminate the fallacy that there are some crimes for which a former President of the United States should not be indicted and/or prosecuted. Recall that Richard Nixon was relieved of being prosecuted for obstruction of justice by accepting a pardon from President Gerald Ford. And to prevent being prosecuted for perjury, Bill Clinton accepted a deal from the Special Counsel to pay a fine, have his law license suspended and had to admit that he lied under oath.
Now, thanks to Rudolph Giuliani and Bill Bratton’s broken windows policing, Donald J. Trump has been indicted by a grand jury. The former New York City mayor and police commissioner decided that by arresting low level squeegee men and public drinkers they would prevent future crimes and catch those with outstanding warrants. The crimes alleged by the New York City grand jury, in the case of Trump, are currently unknown, yet the cult members of the Republican Party and their QAnon associates continue to downplay their possible severity. Since we know that Donald Trump doesn’t drink and has no need of spare change, we may surmise that the criminal allegations, for which he has been indicted, are likely more serious than consuming a beer in public or wiping down a stranger’s car window.
As the Republicans circle the wagons around their deeply flawed “fuhrer,” they are missing the big picture. Under the broken windows theory, NATO can be more secure and Ukraine can be free to continue the fight for its independence without the threat of a powerful Donald Trump. Russian diplomats will not have open door access to the White House. Classified materials will no longer disappear, be available to his unqualified daughter and son-in-law, or copied to places and people unknown. The Department of Justice will not be used as his attorneys of personal revenge.
The Republicans are currently weaponizing their House committees as they allege that state and federal law enforcements are weaponizing their agencies against The Donald. The very Republicans that were lined up outside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue seeking pardons for aiding and abetting the attempt to illegally overthrow the legitimate 2020 election are casting their ballots for a man whose integrity they secretly question and despise. A man who stood by as death and destruction “toured” the nation’s Capitol. Trump has openly advocated the termination of the Constitution. And, insult to injury, he has vowed, if reelected, to pardon the hundreds of potential political assassins and cop killers responsible for the carnage of January 6th.
Marjorie Taylor Greene has elected to come to New York to protest Donald Trump’s indictment. The Georgia representative should be warned of this broken windows reality. Riker’s Island has a women’s facility. Don’t get caught jumping the subway turnstile.
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